UK Industrial output dipped 0.5 per cent in May on the previous month, new official figures show.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show output fell across three of the four main sectors compared with April, with the largest downward movement coming from manufacturing, which was down 0.5 per cent and contributed -0.3 percentage points to total production.

The largest month-on-month falls came from the manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products & pharmaceutical preparations, which were down 6.5 per cent, having increased in the previous month by 9.0 per cent.

However, year-on-year figures show total production output was up 1.4 per cent on May 2015 and output was up across three of the four main sectors compared with a year ago, with the largest contribution coming from manufacturing - the largest component of production - which was up 1.7 per cent on last year.

The ONS figures show the largest contribution to the year on year production increase was from the manufacture of transport equipment, which rose 6.6 per cent.

In the three months to May 2016, production and manufacturing were 8.0 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively below the pre-downturn peak in Q1 of 2008.

Last week the findings from the latest Markit/CIPS manufacturing index suggested UK manufacturers had reported growth had reached a five month high in June prior to the UK vote to leave the EU.